Card accommodating and ejecting device

Abstract

An accommodating device for holding a card having an engaging portion in place is illustrated. The accommodating device includes a tray, a spring member, a covering member mounted on the tray, a latching mechanism, and a depressible button. The tray includes a bottom plate and two first sidewalls protruding from opposite edges of the bottom plate, which cooperatively defines a receiving channel for insertion of the card. The spring member is positioned on the bottom plate and compressed by the card when the card is received in the receiving channel. The latching mechanism includes a first resilient strip having a first hunched portion, a second resilient strip fixed to the cover, and a latching block fixed to the first and second resilient strips. The latching block is configured for lockingly engage with the engaging portion. The depressible button is arranged above the first hunched portion of the first resilient strip.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An accommodating device for holding a card in place, the card comprising at least one engaging portion, the accommodating device comprising:
 a tray comprising a bottom plate and two first sidewalls protruding from opposite edges of the bottom plate, the bottom plate and the first sidewalls cooperatively defining a receiving channel for insertion of the card thereinto; 
 a spring member positioned on the bottom plate, the spring member configured to be compressed by the card when the card is received in the receiving channel; 
 a covering member mounted on the tray; 
 a latching mechanism comprising:
 a first resilient strip comprising a first hunched portion; 
 a second resilient strip fixed to the cover; 
 at least one latching block fixed to distal ends of the first resilient strip and second resilient strip, the at least one latching block configured for lockingly engaging with the at least one engaging portion; and 
 
 a depressible button arranged above the first hunched portion of the first resilient strip; 
 wherein, when the card is inserted into the receiving channel and the spring member is compressed, the at least one latching block lockingly engages with the engaging portion, thereby locking the card in the receiving channel; 
 when the button is depressed to urge the first hunched portion of the first resilient strip to move downwards, the first resilient strip is resiliently deformed to lift up the at least one latching block away from the engaging portion, thereby the card is then ejected by the compressed spring member and moves outwardly from the receiving channel. 
 
     
     
       2. The accommodating device as described in  claim 1 , wherein the second sidewalls of the tray each define a through hole, and the covering member comprises two side surfaces each defining a fastening hole, and the base further comprises two fasteners extending through the respective through holes and threadedly engaged in the respective fastening holes for fixing the covering member to the tray. 
     
     
       3. The accommodating device as described in  claim 1 , wherein the covering member defines a fixing slot, and the second resilient strip comprises a second hunched portion retained in the fixing slot. 
     
     
       4. The accommodating device as described in  claim 1 , wherein the tray comprises two second sidewalls respectively protruding inwardly from the top edge of the first sidewalls, and the covering member is fixed between the two second sidewalls. 
     
     
       5. The accommodating device as described in  claim 4 , wherein the tray further comprises a connecting portion between the two second side plates, and the spring member is secured to the connecting portion. 
     
     
       6. The accommodating device as described in  claim 1 , wherein the covering member defines a mounting hole aligned with the first hunched portion of the first resilient strip, and the button is movably received in the mounting hole. 
     
     
       7. The accommodating device as described in  claim 6 , wherein the mounting hole comprises a first hole portion, a second hole portion communicating with the first hole portion, and a shoulder between the first hole portion and the second hole portion, the button comprises a head portion, a flange formed around the head portion, and a shank protruding from the lower end of the head portion, the base further comprises a spring coil coiled around the shank and sandwiched between the shoulder and the flange, and a locking ring sleeved around the head portion and fixed to a top surface of the covering member.